Prepares: One 9 inch pie
Feeds: 6-8 people

Coconut Pastry Cream
1 cup milk
1 cup canned, unsweetened coconut milk
2 cups shredded sweetened coconut
1 tsp. vanilla bean paste
2 ea. large eggs
½ cup sugar
3 tbsp. flour
4 tbsp. butter, room temperature
1 ea. 9 inch pie shell (there is a great coconut pie shell recipe in the book if you dare be adventurous)

Whipped Cream Topping
2.5 cups heavy cream
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla bean paste

Garnish
½ cup large shred coconut
4-6 oz. white chocolate

• Blind bake the pie shell and cool
• Combine milk, coconut milk, shredded coconut, and vanilla bean paste in medium sauce pan
• Place over medium high heat and stir until the mixture comes to a near boil
• In a bowl whisk together the eggs, sugar, and flour until combined
• Temper the eggs by pouring a small amount of the milk mixture into the eggs, then add the warmed egg mixture to the saucepan
• Whisk the mixture well over medium high heat until the pastry cream thickens and bubbles
• Keep whisking until the mixture is very thick, 4-5 minutes or more
• Remove from the heat and add the butter, whisk until it is melted
• Place the pastry cream in a bowl in an ice bath and cool, then cover directly with plastic wrap
• When the pastry cream is cool place in the pie shell and smooth out evenly
• Using a mixer, whip the heavy cream, sugar and vanilla until it reaches stiff peaks
• For nice presentation, place in a piping bag and pipe over the pastry cream, but if you’re not too worried, smear it over the pie evenly, trust me, it won’t change the taste!
• For the garnish, preheat the oven to 350F. Spread the coconut chips on a baking sheet. Toast in the oven for 7-8 minutes, watching carefully and stirring regularly, remove and allow to cool
• Place on the pie once cooled
• To finish it off, use a vegetable peeler to scrape the white chocolate into long curls over the pie

Enjoy this delectable dessert from one of North America’s greatest chefs, with a few subtle tweaks to make it my own.